Place fava beans, chickpeas, and onions in a food processor and process until beans and chickpeas are very finely ground. Add remaining ingredients, except oil; process to a dough-like paste. Form into patties--if patties tend to crumble, process further or add a little flour.

Heat oil in a saucepan and fry patties over medium heat, turning until they are golden brown on both sides.

Serve patties warm as main dish with fresh vegetables and Sesame Tahini Sauce on the side or in sandwiches of half-rounds of pita bread stuffed with salad vegetables and topped with Tahini Mix.

CHEF COMMENTS

Falafel, Makes 20 patties.

In the lands that rim the eastern Mediterranean, falafel are a snack food par excellence. Their mouth-watering aromas waft from the cooking stalls in Aleppo, Damascus, Jerusalem, and other Middle Eastern cities, enticing passers-by as if begging to relieve their hunger pangs. The word falafel, derived from the Arabic word fulful or filfil meaning "pepper," has now entered the English vocabulary and can even be found in English language dictionaries.